The control of British social work education: European comparisons

Abstract

The Diploma in Social Work (DipSW) was introduced into Britain as the new professional qualification for social workers. It embodied highly prescriptive control from the validating body, the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW), and also increased social work agencies' power to define the structure and content of social work education. In particular, it is marked by an attempt to define specific competences that a social worker must be able to demonstrate at the point of qualification. Information gained through an Erasmus/Socrates network involving four other European countries indicates that social work education appears to be less heavily regulated in these countries. The article identifies the different models that characterize the welfare systems of the different countries and discusses the particular features of British social policy which have contributed to the increase in regulation in this country.